A man who spiked sweets with sleeping medication and gave them to youngsters at a summer camp in the area has admitted sexual crimes against two children both nine and ten years old.
The defendant was taken into custody after eight minors and one adult became sick at the facility in mid-summer.
The elderly man, from that region, admitted guilt to a total of 17 charges when he appeared at the courthouse on recently.
However, he denied a single sexual charge he was charged with, which was involving a nine-year-old boy.
The accused was remanded in custody ahead of a additional proceeding on November 28th.
'Candy game'
Mary Prior KC, presenting evidence, outlined Ruben's offending to the court.
She stated his those affected were under-privileged children who were staying at a summer camp which he managed.
Ruben played a "candy game" with the children, the legal counsel stated, in which he would go into the sleeping quarters when they were getting ready for bed and ask them to ingest treats "as quickly as they can".
She informed the proceedings Ruben had conducted this practice with the children "for many years", and minors had previously fallen ill the subsequent day.
She explained the man had been capable of justifying this for many years as the youngsters being "overexcited from fun", until his stepchild had worries in recently.
The legal representative continued: "Recently" his stepchild had worries about what was going on, justifiably.
"They chose" to examine in the individual's items."
The legal counsel explained objects including baby oil, ointment and syringes were found, and his stepchild alerted the police about his concerns.
She stated the man continued to conduct the "sweet game" with six boys that evening - Saturday 26 July - and they were all sick the following morning.
"Authorities" had not responded by that point," she continued.
The oversight body, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, had stated that it was reviewing the police response of the incident.
The legal representative explained the youngsters were having difficulty walking due to being ill, so the stepson called the law enforcement again.
She said Ruben then conducted the "candy game" in a room of five youngsters.
